Getting around BCN

Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB), a consortium comprised of two separate entities (Ferrocarril Metropolità de Barcelona and Transports de Barcelona), provides public transit services in the Barcelona metropolitan area. The TMB system also includes other transport modes, including the Tourist Bus, Tramvia Blau (Blue Tramway), Telefèric (Cable Car), and Montjuïc Funicular.

The network supports daily ridership of 2 million people both within the city and 10 surrounding municipalities: Hospitalet de Llobregat, Esplugues de Llobregat, Cornellà de Llobregat, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Sant Adrià de Besòs, Badalona, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Montcada i Reixac, and el Prat de Llobregat.

The Barcelona Metro has 8 lines, 5 of which are run manually by conductors, and 3 of which are equipped with automated technology that allows trains to run driverless. Each line is identified by the letter “L” followed by a number (from 1-5 or 9-11); each line is also assigned a unique color. The subway network has 159 stations, most of which are adapted for riders with limited mobility, as well as 22 transfer points.

TMB runs from 5:00am to 12:00am Monday through Thursday (except evenings before holidays), and Sundays. On Fridays and evenings before holidays, the schedule is extended from 5:00am to 2:00am. Saturdays feature uninterrupted service. In addition to simple tickets, customers can also purchase combinations of integrated tickets and passes.

Nitbus (Night Bus) is the network of nighttime buses in the Barcelona metropolitan area, operated by various companies. The network comprises a total of 21 lines, running from 10:00pm or 10:20pm through 5:30am or 6:00am (depending on the line), with buses every 20 minutes, or 3 buses an hour.

Night Buses are identified by the letter “N” (for night), followed by a number from 0-18 or 26-28. Almost all of them stop at Plaça de Catalunya, where you can transfer to another line. Most tickets and passes are valid for use on the Night Bus network, except for the Hola Barcelona and Barcelona Card.

Cercanías de Cataluña is the commuter and traveler rail network serving the Barcelona metropolitan area. The service is provided jointly by the Regional Government of Catalonia and Renfe, who manage schedule and route planning, customer service and fare structure, and overall operation and supervision of the service.

The commuter rail network comprises 15 lines: 6 run by Renfe, and 9 run by the Regional Government. These lines are identified by the letter “R” (for Rodalies, Catalan for Local train), followed by a number (1-5 or 7-8). Renfe routes serve 9 stations located throughout the city; the most popular of these is Sants Station, served by many other Renfe routes, allowing customers to make national or international rail transfers, or even connect via rail to the airport.

As more and more people move out of the city, the Regional Rail network of Catalonia has become the largest local rail network in Spain, servicing the principal stations in the area every 5 to 10 minutes. The train has quickly risen as the preferred alternate mode of transit to tackle the mounting traffic experienced in the city.

Rapid transit at a reasonable cost

Barcelona has a fleet of over 10,000 taxi cabs, easily identifiable by their yellow or black color. Generally speaking, it’s not too difficult to find a free cab when you need one; you can tell by the green light that lights up above the vehicle when it’s available. You can also order a taxi by phone or on your mobile device, using an app.

Like all other transit modes in the city, Barcelona’s taxi fleet is also environmentally friendly, and has for many years been equipped with hybrid vehicles. There are also cabs that accept card payments, and accommodate passengers with limited mobility. Taxis in the city are operated by various independent companies, but their fares are uniformly established by the Barcelona City Council.